Transition structure between a rectangular coaxial microstructure and a cylindrical coaxial cable using step changes in center conductors thereof
View Patent ↗Provided are coaxial transmission line microstructures formed by a sequential build process, and methods of forming such microstructures. The microstructures include a transition structure for transitioning between the coaxial transmission line and an electrical connector. The microstructures have particular applicability to devices for transmitting electromagnetic energy and other electronic signals.
1. A transmission line microstructure for connection to a cylindrical coaxial cable, comprising:
a rectangular coaxial microstructure having a center conductor surrounded by an outer conductor extending along a longitudinal axis, the outer conductor including a plurality of layers of a conductive material, the center conductor having an end with a step change in thickness perpendicular to the longitudinal axis; and
a transition structure electrically connected to the outer conductor of the rectangular coaxial microstructure proximate the center conductor end said transition structure having a step change in height, and extending outwardly therefrom along the longitudinal axis, the transition structure having an upper surface shaped to support a cylindrical coaxial cable at an orientation in which a center conductor of the cylindrical coaxial cable is disposed along the longitudinal axis in electrical communication with the center conductor of the rectangular coaxial microstructure.
2. A connectorized coaxial transmission line microstructure, comprising the transmission line microstructure of claim 1 and an connector electrically connected to the center conductor and the outer conductor via the transition structure.
3. The transmission line microstructure of claim 1 , comprising one or more dielectric support members for supporting the center conductor with respect to the outer conductor.
4. The transmission line microstructure of claim 1 , comprising a non-solid volume disposed between the center conductor and the outer conductor.
5. The transmission line microstructure of claim 1 , wherein the center conductor comprises a plurality of layers of a conductive material.
6. A method of forming a transmission line microstructure, comprising:
sequentially disposing a plurality of layers over a substrate, wherein the plurality of layers comprise one or more of dielectric, conductive, and sacrificial materials; and
forming from the plurality of layers:
i) a rectangular coaxial microstructure having a center conductor surrounded by an outer conductor extending along a longitudinal axis, the outer conductor including the plurality of layers comprised of said conductive material, the center conductor having an end with a step change in thickness perpendicular to the longitudinal axis; and
ii) a transition structure electrically connected to the outer conductor of the rectangular coaxial microstructure proximate the center conductor end said transition structure having a step change in height, and extending outwardly therefrom along the longitudinal axis, the transition structure having an upper surface shaped to support a cylindrical coaxial cable at an orientation in which a center conductor of the cylindrical coaxial cable is disposed along the longitudinal axis in electrical communication with the center conductor of the rectangular coaxial microstructure.
7. The method of claim 6 , comprising the step of removing the sacrificial material to provide a non-solid volume between the center conductor and the outer conductor.
8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the sequential depositing of the conductive material comprises one or more of plating, physical vapor deposition, screen printing, and chemical vapor deposition.
9. The method of claim 6 , comprising the step of removing the transmission line microstructure from the substrate.